BCB steps in as clubs falter

The player payments of two of the four Dhaka Premier League (DPL) clubs, which had not paid its players, were completed by the Bangladesh Cricket Board over the last two days.

Of the four, the players of Rajin Saleh's Cricket Coaching School and Mahmudul Hasan Limon's Kalabagan Cricket Academy were given their second instalment. The two clubs now join the players from the list of eight clubs who have received at least 60 per cent of their league's payment.

Victoria Sporting Club, which includes the likes of Mominul Haque and Nadif Chowdhury and Shahriar Nafees's Brothers Union are yet to be paid.

The players of Cricket Coaching School were each paid just Tk 1 lakh until last week. The board ensured that they got 60 per cent of their payments, much to the relief of skipper Rajin and his teammates..

“Many of them faced the danger of going back home empty-handed for Eid and now they have some relief. They used to keep calling me in order to get more information on the payments and I couldn't tell them anything,” said Rajin, who earlier criticised the board and the clubs for their non-payment.“I would like to thank the media for taking this issue up so seriously.” 

As per the rules, the players should have received 60 per cent of their payments before the end of the tournament and the remaining within a month of the league's completion.

Kalabagan Cricket Academy's players, who had earlier been paid 30 per cent of their dues, received another 30 percent according to their skipper Mahmudul.

“We got the payments on Tuesday from the board. We are thankful to the board. We haven't contacted the club and neither did they contact us,” said Mahmudul, while adding that he was not sure when they would get the remaining 40 per cent.

Victoria and Brothers Union however have not been as lucky. According to Nafees, Brothers are expected to complete the payment by July 3.

“The club had invited us for iftar today. We went there and were told that we would be paid before Eid. I am positive we will get paid,” said Nafees.

Victoria captain Nadif Chowdhury has said that the fate of his teammates now depend upon the BCB. The board, according to him, is likely to complete their payment after Eid.